The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1887-07-23
TREASURE 1Rove.
The Lost Gold Ledge Of tho Salmon
River UountainA

River 0ountal0A
During the Nez Perez, or JOSEPH
Indian war of 1878, while COlone
Bernard with his command wa:
scouting in the vicinity of the East
Fork of the Salmon river in this
territory, the story is told of ar
Indian bringing into camp, one
evening, specimen of gold quartz
that for richness surpassed any
thing even seen before, being fully
one-half gold. He gave the piece
Of float to lieutenant +. S. Farrow
and in reply to the question where
he got it, the Indian pointed to the
mountains, saying there was plenty
more. The next morning the COM
mand was ordered to move on, and
lieutenant Farrow, unable to seek
the treasure trove, sought out the
Indian to gain more definite infor-
nation in the hopes of at some flu
ture day visiting the place and To-
eating the mine. The Indian gave
no more satisfactory explanation
than pointing to the mountains and
endeavoring to describe some GER
tain spot to the lieutenant. When
the command moved OH the
+ INDIAN LEFT THE RANKS
and before Camp was made that
night returned with several more
specimens equally as rich as the
first, which he gave to Lieutenant
FarrOw. The chase after Joseph,
far away from the scene, and the
Bannock war of the following year
occupied Farrows attention entirely,
and the Indian who had made the
discovery of the rich quartz was
lost sight of and never heard from
again. Farrow afterwards engaged
in several speculations in Oregon
and finally left the army, went to
Washington and has not been heard
from for many years. The story
of the find has been told and retold
and several parties have sought in
vain to discover the mountain and
its rich store of gold. Last Sum
mer j. j. Taylor and "Doc" Dob
bins left Ketchum in search of the
locality where the Indian was said
to have found the quartz, but after
a fruitless search returned home
late in the fall. They traversed the
mountains in the vicinity of the
East Fork of Salmon river, secured
the hills of the adjacent country
but to no avail.
THE HIDING PLACE
was, if it existed at all, still unre-
vealed and both came to the con-
clusion that the alleged find was
myth. On their way home they
stopped at Bonanza and while there
ascertained that two prospectors
had left that place on a similar
quest and returned bringing several
fine specimens of gold quartz.
The men had come in for supplies
and intended to go the the noun
tains to winter, so rs to be on hand
early in the spring to continue
their search. Whether they were
successful in finding the location
from where the Indian brought his
specimens or had found another
ledge was not discovered. The
men said but very little to any one,
guarding their secret with the great
est care and but very few in Boz
nanza knew of their coming or 60
ing. Another party of prospectors
is now said to have started in search
of
THE TREASURE TROvE,
with the determination of finding
it if there is any truth in the Indi-
ans story. If it does exist, sooner
or later it will be discovered and if
it proves one-third as rich as the
specimens brought to Lieutenant
Farrow indicated it will prove
find indeed. doc" Dobbins is
now firm i'm the belief that the story
of the Indian is true and may
have started out alone to seek the
ledge. He left here
a month ago, .ostensibly to pros
pect in the Smoky and Soldier
creek countries, but his restless
spirit may lead him on toward
the Salmon river in the hopes of
retrieving his failure of last year
by driving his stakes on the lost
ledge.
They Needed Securing.
Bob Campbell, who has been liv-
II 4 4